No Boundaries
by xladylovelyliesx
Summary: Lucas Scott isn't used to having neighbours in his rural town, in fact the closest ones are a mile away. What happens when Brooke Davis and her no-show parents move across the street? Will she and Lucas realize that love knows no boundaries?
1. Don't Stop

**If this isn't your thing, don't read it. There will be about fifteen years between Lucas and Brooke. (No, she won't be like ten, but she won't be 20.) My reasoning: The other day I saw a couple sitting at a local cafe and they were quite old; but they looked happy together. The man had wrinkled skin and white hair, whereas the woman still had a bit of colour to her hair and her face was less aged. So there had to have been a big age difference, and I just started thinking about how they could have met and what it would have been like.**

**I was gonna write this as Lucas and Peyton, but I think Brooke fits the role better for this particular story. If you flame me, I won't care. As soon as something starts sounding criticizing (in a bad way) I will not read it.**

**Disclaimer: I only own the setting, the mature stuff, and whatever new characters I may bring into this story. Unfortunately I don't own OTH or the characters. This is starting out T, but will change to M. **

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It was around late fall, just when the leaves were turning to their rustic colours when Lucas Scott saw a car pull up across the road from his house. He remembered it because there were never any visitors around his neck of the woods; just the critters that came and went on their own time.

The land, he knew, belonged to Mrs. O'Reilly. An old friend of his parents, and the woman that had religiously baked him the best Christmas cookies up until her husband's passing quite a few years ago. He had helped her move into the city, one of the few times he ventured away from his rural town of Arberwell, and got her set up in a constricted little apartment.

Lucas had been looking out his window at the expensive-looking car parked at the base of Mrs. O'Reilly's property. He saw a girl sitting in the back of the car, her cheek pressed against the window and eyes closed. A tall, suited man got out of the car and did a quick walk around Mrs. O'Reilly's boarded up farm house. When he returned to the car and started it, Lucas saw the girl wake from her sleep; seemingly noticing his stare. After that he didn't see them for a long time. Construction workers came weeks later and tore down all the boards off the windows and doors. They started adding onto Mrs. O'Reilly's home, soon replacing the old garage with a new one and giving the house a fresh coat of white paint.

Lucas was sitting on his front porch one crisp, mid-spring morning, holding his coffee in both hands. He was grimacing to himself as he watched the construction workers put a new front door onto the house. They had already painted over the warm, pastel yellow that had represented old Mrs. O'Reilly so well, and now they were painting it a dull white and putting in a red door that was far too modern for his liking. He sipped his coffee, bringing a hand up to scratch at the scruff on his chin and jaw.

He had a say in this, didn't he? That house was the only house within six acres of his property, and two stuck-up rich folk from the city were going to come and ruin _his_ tranquillity? Not likely. He had worked hard to maintain his farm and the land around it. When his parents passed, he was nineteen years old. They gave him everything, their house, their farm, their boat. That's what he had wanted. His sister got her rather large inheritance, took it and left Arberwell for good. Now six years later, Lucas had bought himself a new horse, two goats and three more chickens. He was living peacefully, alone, with all of his animals and his land.

For weeks Lucas grumbled to himself about having new neighbours, and once they moved in, around the end of May, they were just as disruptive as he had suspected. In fact, they woke him up several nights with their screaming and constant fighting. He tried to mind his own business, but he had such a strong urge to bang on their door and tell them to stop disturbing his peace. But then he would just be an asshole.

One night, the yelling from across the road got so loud that it almost outweighed the booming thunder overhead. If it wasn't for Daisy, Lucas's purebred Clydesdale, whinnying and making a fuss in the barn he would have marched across the street and told them to can it. Instead he put on his boots and rain jacket, and walked out to the barn. It was more or less beside his house, and only a few seconds away. He built it himself, after tearing down the smaller barn that had been his parents, to make room for Daisy and his new goats. The chickens had a coop just behind the barn.

He pulled the doors open and saw Daisy rear up on her hind legs, stamping around her stall as the thunder became more and more prevalent.

"Hey now, shh shh," Lucas reached up and put his palm on Daisy's snout, steadying her and looking into one of her big brown eyes, "What's got you all worried, Dais? It's just some thunder." He stroked her mane, calming her with every touch. Lucas reached over to the wall and pulled down Daisy's brown leather reins. He put the bit in her mouth and gently buckled it on, holding the reins in his hand. He opened the gate, letting her walk out.

"We'll go for a little walk. But then you have to sleep, got it?" he asked, as if she would reply. Lucas lead her out of the barn and took her out onto the road. As he did, he saw a small brunette sitting on the front steps of the house across the street. Her face was wet with tears and she was holding her arms around her legs, looking down at the pavement.

Lucas felt a small twist in his stomach. He felt bad that the little girl had to put up with such angry, boisterous parents. Daisy whinnied loudly, which in turn caught the girl's attention. She rubbed her cheeks and looked up, seeing the familiar man standing across the road with his horse by his side. Lucas couldn't help but smile as he saw her flash a small smile.

"She's nice, if you wanna pet her." Lucas gestured to Daisy with his hand full of reins. The brunette gave a quick nod and she got up from the porch, walking closer to him. She was a little different than he'd expected, wearing a white button-down blouse and jeans. He'd expected her to be stuck up like her parents were, or their actions anyway, but she seemed a lot more gentle than either of them.

"I'm Brooke." She said innocently, lifting her hand.

"Lucas Scott, pleased to meet you." He shook her hand, and then placed it on Daisy's snout. Brooke pet Daisy, smiling as Daisy lifted her snout to meet every pat.

"What's her name? I just love horses, they're so sweet." Lucas looked down to meet the brunette's hazel eyes.

"Daisy."

Brooke twisted her lips, continuing to stroke the horse's honey-coloured snout. "Have you had her for long? I haven't seen you take her out before."

Lucas gave a small nod, "I take her out early, I have trails for her in the back. But I guess a girl like you wouldn't be up when the dawn breaks, now would you?"

"No," she let out a small laugh, "I'm just your average teen... I like my sleep" Brooke winced as she heard another yell, this time from her mom. She looked up to Lucas, "And I don't get enough when they're around." She looked back down at Daisy.

"Do they always fight like that?" Lucas asked quietly as the yelling started getting loud again. Brooke was quick to nod, and she lifted her head back up to meet Lucas's deep blue eyes.

"Only when they're together. They'll both be gone soon." She said.

"Gone where?" Lucas asked, trying not to look happy.

"Everywhere. They have their business stuff to do. I still don't know why they moved me out here." Brooke mumbled, and then her eyes lightened, "You don't have a daughter, do you?" she asked.

Lucas laughed, "No, it's just me. Well, Daisy too." He sympathetically patted Daisy's mane, and Brooke laughed softly. He admired her dimples, and he smiled back at her.

The yelling kept getting louder until a man stormed out of the house. Brooke turned around, her hand still on Daisy's snout.

"Jesus Victoria!" the man got into the car, slammed the door, and then drove away. Brooke gulped as her mom flew from the house, holding a vase in her hand.

"Brooke! Get your ass back in the house!" Victoria yelled, turning on her heels and slamming the door behind her. Lucas furrowed his brow, shaking his head at the woman.

"I guess I should go then." Brooke sighed, taking her hand away from the horse. Lucas nodded slowly, somewhat mesmerized by the string of events that had just occurred. Brooke turned away and Lucas couldn't help himself.

"Hey," Lucas called out, just as rain started to come down harder. Brooke turned back around. "If you ever get bored or somethin', just bring a couple carrots to the barn. You'll be her best friend in no time." He offered a smile, and Brooke returned it.

"Really?" she asked. He nodded, and she happily nodded back at him. "Thank you!" she laughed quietly, "I guess I'll see you later." She said, cupping her hand over her eyes to keep the rain out of her view. Lucas nodded and watched the brunette run back inside.

Lucas turned back to Daisy, "So much for our walk." He laughed softly, leading her back towards the barn.

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**A/N: So, what do you think? Yay or nay? I didn't wanna write a whole lot for the first chapter, so consider it a snippet. Yes, this will have mature-rated chapters, but not right away. Again, if you don't like then don't read. -LadyLovelyLies xx**


	2. My Mind is a Warrior

**A/N: Not edited, don't judge.**

**Title of chapter uno is Don't Stop. After Foster the People's song.**

**The title of this chapter is My Mind is a Warrior after the song Grade 8 by Ed Sheeran. I name the chapters after the song I play on repeat while I write them.**

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A little over a week after Lucas first met the cheery brunette, he couldn't seem to help his mind from wandering to thoughts of Brooke. He kept thinking how he only knew her for a few minutes and she completely changed his opinion on her from being a stereotypical rich teen to a warm hearted young girl. Even in the morning, like today, he caught himself thinking about Brooke again. He was standing in the barn across from Daisy, brushing out her honey blonde man. He heard the door to the barn open and he was surprised to see the brunette standing at the entrance. Wearing jeans and a lavender shirt that showed her navel, her hair was matted and wavy from the rain showers outside. He didn't expect to see her. At least not at a time like this. It was raining and miserable outside. It was a nine days since he last saw her, and it really shouldn't be that big of a deal, but he was happy to see her.

"I don't have any carrots." She said, giggling softly. Lucas's lips formed a smile and he waved her over. As she walked over, looking at Daisy, Lucas admired the rather low v-neck top she was wearing; showing off the small bit of cleavage she had and her flat tummy. When he realized where his mind was, he immediately flicked his eyes back at Daisy. Brooke put her hand on Daisy's side, gently patting her, completely oblivious.

"If you want'a feed her, there's an apple right there." Brooke looked over to Lucas, seeing his finger pointed over her shoulder at an apple on the ledge of Daisy's stall. She pivoted on her heels and stepped over, picking up the apple.

"Does she bite?" she asked hesitantly, holding the apple nearer to her chest. Daisy's head nudged Brooke's arm, her big eyes set on the red fruit in the teen's grasp.

"Not unless you put your hand in her mouth." Lucas chuckled. Brooke smiled and held the apple up. Daisy took a bite, instantly, and started gnawing it in her mouth. Lucas heard a small squishing noise, and he looked down to see Brooke's knee-high red rain boots. He laughed at the sight, "Nice galoshes." He commented softly. She definitely wasn't an ordinary teen. What ordinary teen wore knee-high galoshes?

She looked over, squinting at him, "Was that sarcastic?" she asked.

"No. I really do like them." He laughed.

"Well... thank you." Brooke tilted her head with a smile. She kept rotating the apple for Daisy to eat. It worked for a while, until Daisy took the whole thing into her mouth. Brooke's eyes widened and she looked over at Lucas. "Is she allowed to eat all of it?" she asked.

"No," Lucas commented quietly, "Apple seeds are poisonous to horses." He said. Brooke's eyes grew even wider.

"I'm so sorry!"

"I'm joking." Lucas murmured, "She likes to eat the whole thing." He laughed as Brooke's wide eyes narrowed, and then her features softened and went back to normal.

She laughed lightly, "You have a sick sense of humour, you know that?" she asked.

Lucas nodded, another smile spreading over his face, "I've been told so."

Another laugh escaped Brooke's lips, and she looked behind her as the rain hit the ground harder. "Does it always rain here?" she asked, looking back to the blond.

"Nah, just in the rainy months." Lucas leaned forward and patted Daisy's neck, looking down at Brooke. She was probably a foot shorter than him. "Late March, April, May, beginning of June." He listed, chewing his cheek, "Rainy months." He added softly.

"It always rains on my birthday." Brooke laughed quietly, "My mom says it's a sign from God. Whatever that means. I'm not sure it was intended as a nice comment."

"Doesn't sound like it." Lucas murmured, "When's your birthday?" he asked.

"March fourth." She answered quickly, smiling, "I'm sixteen now. But I think I act and look older. Well I hope I do." Brooke paused, looking up, "Do I?"

Lucas laughed light heartedly, "Couldn't tell you." He said honestly.

"Oh come on. I've been passed for eighteen before." She said, a cheeky smile gracing the features of her face.

Lucas paused, taking the time to really look at her. He gave a quick nod of approval, "I can see that. Eighteen year olds wear make-up, don't they?" he chuckled, looking at the purple eye shadow and dark eyelashes that surrounded her hazel eyes.

Brooke scoffed, laughter soon followed. Lucas smiled at her laugh. It was a nice laugh. "You don't know much about teenagers do you? I've been wearing make-up since I was twelve." She said pointedly.

"I guess not. The only one I ever knew was my sister and I didn't pay enough attention to that stuff." He said. He remembered his sister, and for a split second, he missed her badly. But then he forced himself to forget all about her and all the memories that came with her.

"You have a sister?" Brooke asked.

Lucas nodded, "I do." He said flatly. He saw Brooke rub her arms, and he noticed the goose bumps raised over her delicate arms. "It's pretty cold out here, isn't it?" he asked.

"It is." She giggled, rubbing her arms faster.

"I have a fire on, if you want to come inside." He offered. _Don't invite her in. She's sixteen. She's practically a child._

"Sure." Brooke gave a smile, and Lucas ignored his thoughts, digging into his pocket and giving Daisy a parting gift; a honey and grain biscuit. She happily took it to the back of her stall. Lucas chuckled. Sometimes he swore she had the personality of a dog.

He walked up to his house, Brooke following beside him. He pulled the door open and let her in. She looked around the quaint little home.

The walls were a deep beige, similar to a soft caramel mixed with a drop of deep sienna. The main room they stood in had a fireplace on the wall under a shelving unit filled with books. There was a brown leather couch, and matching recliner. Brooke noticed the lack of photos. It reminded her of her house; except smaller.

"This is cute." She commented as she pulled off her rain boots, putting them beside Lucas's boots on a plastic mat.

Lucas snorted quietly, "Why thank you." He said, "Do you want a drink?" he asked, walking through a doorway. Brooke followed close behind. The kitchen was the same colour as the main room, and it had dark counters and a fridge and a stove, and everything else a normal kitchen had.

"What do you have?" she asked with a small smile.

"Um..." Lucas opened the fridge. She saw a lot of beer and meat. He looked up, almost apologetically, and Brooke giggled.

"Water's fine." She said.

He nodded, closing the fridge. Brooke walked forward, seeing a single photo on the fridge. It was a photo of a blonde woman with curly hair, sitting on a bench with two little blonde girls beside her. The girls looked practically identical, except one looked to be about eight, and the other couldn't be older than three. The little one had soft, straight blonde hair and a sweet, chubby-cheeked, cherubic face. The older one looked just like the woman. Big blonde curls surrounding a beautiful face.

"Who are they?" Brooke asked quietly.

Lucas walked over, a glass of water in one hand, a beer in the other. He squinted, pressing his lips in a firm line. "That's, um, my sister. And my nieces." He raised his beer, pointing with his pinky finger, "That's Anna," he pointed to the older girl, "and that's Jenny." He laughed quietly, pointing to the little one.

"Oh, they're so sweet." Brooke smiled, "Does your sister live around here?" she asked.

"No," Lucas said quietly, "Peyton left when we were nineteen."

Brooke could see the frown tugging at Lucas's lips. "Oh." She said. He composed himself, nodding.

"Didn't like the small town. And when my parents died, she finally had an excuse to leave." He explained, "Anyway. Here." He handed Brooke the glass of water.

She took it, following him into the main room. It smelled like cinnamon. He sat down on the couch, and she sat on the recliner across from him, crossing her legs.

"Your house smells good." She commented quietly.

Lucas laughed, "I just dried my cinnamon a few days ago." He said.

"Dried your cinnamon?" Brooke quirked her eyebrow and let out a soft chuckle.

"I have a cinnamon tree in the sun room. Planted it two years ago, and just now I'm getting spice from it. But I got a lot. So, if you ever need cinnamon, you know where to come." He said with a laugh.

"That's so cool," Brooke smiled, "Do you grow a lot of your own stuff? You have a greenhouse in the back, right?" she asked.

"Yes and yes. I never buy fruit or veggies. The only thing I buy is meat, milk, butter, and flour." He paused, "And beer." Taking a sip of his cold beer.

Brooke laughed again. It wasn't hard to be happy around Lucas. "What kind of things do you grow?" she asked.

"Potatoes, carrots, cabbage, lettuce, onions, all the spices I can. Rosemary, oregano, basil. And as for fruit, I have a peach tree, six apple trees, and I grow strawberries and blueberries, and I have a blackberry bush at the side of my house." He listed, amused as Brooke's mouth opened in awe.

"That's amazing." She said.

He smiled, "Not used to living in the country yet? Everyone grows their own food. Saves on the bills." He murmured.

"Do you work?" Brooke asked.

"I sell what I don't eat. Sometimes I'll rent out the extra stall in my barn for someone's horse. But not usually. I don't have that many bills to pay, so I don't need to work. Everything I have is paid off so it's not an issue." He explained tenderly, nursing his beer through his words.

Brooke sat quietly for a while, sipping the cold water. "Don't you ever get lonely?" she asked abruptly, looking up and locking eyes with Lucas.

He shook his head no, "I don't get lonely. I have my animals." He said.

Brooke frowned, "That's sad." She said.

Lucas laughed, "How is that sad? I'm happy. I love being out here alone. It's tranquil, it's peaceful, it's home. Besides, I do go into town every couple weeks. I'm not a hermit."

Brooke giggled at the thought, "I guess I'm just used to living in the city." She said.

"Why did you move all the way out here? It's rare that we get city folk moving in around here." Lucas murmured, squinting slightly.

Brooke let out a deep sigh. "I don't really know." She was quiet, her eyebrows furrowed. She finally looked up at Lucas, "My parents are getting a divorce. They told me and next thing I know, we're living out in the boonies—" Brooke smiled slightly, "No offense." She added quickly. "It's just, I'm not used to it. I think it was my mom's decision. She doesn't want me getting into trouble—because she and my dad are always gone on business and stuff—and, well, there isn't much to get into trouble about in the country." She explained.

"That's true." Lucas said, "I'm sorry about your parents getting a divorce. Must be hard." He said quietly, running his thumb over his rough fingertips.

"Not really," Brooke's features lightened and she smiled, flashing her dimples, "I don't have to listen to them argue all the time now. My dad always gets so mad at me... sometimes when he's really mad he'll..." Brooke looked down, pulling a vibrating cell phone out of her pocket. "Oh. It's my mom." She said.

"It's okay." Lucas said. Brooke nodded and answered her phone. Lucas watched Brooke as she answered the call. He couldn't help but wonder. _Sometimes when her dad gets mad he'll do what?_ He watched her forehead crease.

"But—" she frowned, "I understand. Okay. I understand." She sighed, "Yes. I get it, mom." Her tone became more cross. "Okay. It'll be clean. I'll go home now." She mumbled, hanging up. Lucas could hear yelling on the other line as Brooke hang up. "I have to go," she admitted quietly.

"Okay. Well feel free to come by if you ever get lonely." He offered.

She giggled quietly, "Coming from the man who never gets lonely. Maybe you can give me a few pointers next time." She said as she stood up, "I'll put this in the kitchen?" she asked, holding up the half emptied glass of water. Lucas nodded. Brooke turned around and he admired her jeans; the way they clung to her body. Quickly he forced himself to look away. Brooke glanced back, meeting his eyes before she smiled and walked back into the kitchen.

She walked out only seconds later, and pulled her rain boots back on. Lucas stood up and walked over to the door.

"I'll be able to stay longer once my mom leaves town." Brooke said. As if she could tell Lucas didn't want her to go yet. He nodded and offered her a smile, which she returned. "Bye Lucas." She said.

"Bye." He murmured. She turned and walked out the door, running through the rain to her house. He watched her until she got up on the porch in front of her house. She looked over her shoulder at the blond man, and smiled at him before disappearing behind the red door.

Lucas laughed quietly, shaking his head slightly. "You're crazy, Lucas." He muttered as he grabbed a book off the shelf and sat down in his recliner.

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**A/N: Yep... Peyton's Lucas's sister. I know it's a weird concept, but I wanted to include her in some way. And they kind of look similar, like a brother and sister, anyway. More than Brooke and Lucas do.**

**As for the sexual aspect of this story, it'll come in time. But I don't want Lucas to come off as a pedophile, because he isn't. Not in this fic, anyway, haha. I just want them to build a relationship first. Thanks for reading and reviewing! Let me know what you think! -LadyLovelyLies**


	3. Take Me Home

**A/N: I'm back. Brucasophobia's been hitting me hard lately, haha. I hope you enjoy this chapter, I will say I had fun writing it. It's just about 3,000 words (2955 to be exact) which is pretty damn good for wanting to write a quick chapter between breaks of studying. It isn't edit because: who has time for that?**

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It was four days before the agonizing woman known as Brooke's mother left town for business. Normally Brooke longed for the maternal company, or lack thereof, and clung to her mother whenever she was around. But this time she was distracted by the thought of Lucas, and she spent the nights looking out her window watching him nailing boards into the old barn. He seemed so lonely, just him and his animals, and she wanted nothing more than to go over and keep him company.

Loneliness was a terrible feeling that Brooke had grown to accept through the years of being neglected by her parents. She saw it in Lucas's eyes, his crisp blue eyes, it was a look that only she could understand because she had been there. She wanted to give him a big hug and tell him that she was his friend, and they didn't have to be lonely anymore.

Brooke shook her head as she sat down on her bed, listening to her mother's car pull out of the driveway. Was it weird that she was friends with Lucas? After all... he's a man, she's a teenage girl, and some would deem that inappropriate. Brooke clasped her hands together, ringing them in discontent. She heard a loud noise, like a gunshot almost or maybe thunder, come from across the road.

She jumped to her feet and ran to her window, looking across the road. She saw Lucas and watched as he kicked the side of the barn, holding his hand tightly and undoubtedly swearing. Brooke ran out of her room, down the stairs, and across the street.

"Sweet mother of God!" Lucas cursed, holding his hand to his chest.

"What happened? Are you okay? You're bleeding." Brooke said worriedly, gently taking Lucas's bleeding hand in hers.

"It's okay- my finger just got caught. I'll be fine." Lucas chuckled, still in obvious pain.

"No you won't! You probably need stitches." Brooke inspected the cut, "You have to wash it so it doesn't get infected." She said seriously.

Lucas raised his eyebrow, "It won't get infected. It's fine, I've had worse." He said, adding carefully, "Isn't it a bit late in the day for pyjamas?" He commented.

Brooke looked down at her pink PJ shorts and opaque purple tank top. She blushed and let go of Lucas's hand, crossing her arms over her chest. Of course she wasn't wearing a bra, that was just her luck.

"Well, I was worried. You stay here, I'll go get the first aid kit and... subsequently put on better clothes." She giggled. Lucas laughed and nodded, watching her as she ran back across the street and into her house.

"Silly girl." He mumbled, shaking his head in admiration.

Less than a minute later and Brooke ran back holding a brown plastic container with a red cross on the top, now wearing a pair of dark blue sweat pants and a white t-shirt- with a bra. She took Lucas's good hand and brought him into his house.

She put the first aid kit on the table and opened it, rummaging through until she found a few supplies.

"Brooke, I'm okay." Lucas assured her.

"You're hurt, you're not okay. You'd probably lose your hand to infection if I wasn't here." She smiled, ripping open an alcohol swab. She held Lucas's hand gently and wiped up the blood and cut. He clenched his jaw at the sting of the antiseptic. Brooke looked so concentrated as she cleaned his wound and opened up a small sheet of gauze. She lay the gauze over the cut and used medical tape to secure it, briefly admiring her work before giving a nod and looking up to Lucas.

She couldn't help but blush when she saw him staring at her, seeming to admire her.

"Better?" she asked.

"Much." He answered.

Brooke smiled contently, "Good. You need to rest for a little while and keep it cold to make sure the swelling doesn't get too bad. But I think you'll be okay to work on stuff by tomorrow." She said.

"Well, Miss Dr. Brooke, though I appreciate your orders, I have work to do." He chuckled.

"Oh no you don't, not with that hand. It's your right hand, too." Brooke said.

"I have to feed my chickens. I can feed them with my left hand." Lucas said.

"Well... I'll feed them for you. Just tell me what to do." Brooke replied, shrugging her shoulders.

Lucas paused, but then nodded. "Okay," he agreed, standing up, "But I'm not staying in here. I gotta make sure Hopper doesn't peck you to death." He smirked. Brooke giggled and followed Lucas outside.

They walked around to the chicken coop just behind the barn. Brooke smiled when she saw the chickens in their enclosure, making little noises and fluttering about. Lucas picked up a bucket filled with grain and opened the fence for Brooke. She stepped in and the chickens immediately came out of the small house-like habitat.

"Alright, give them about three handfuls, sprinkle it around." He instructed. Brooke put both of her hands in the bucket, scooping up the feed, and started to toss it on the ground. The chickens immediately started pecking at the ground and eating. Brooke tossed another handful down and watched as a very fat chicken fluttered out of the habitat. She hopped on one foot, and Brooke realized the bird only had one leg.

"That's Hopper, she was born without a foot." Lucas commented when he saw the perplexed look on Brooke's face.

"So that's the one you thought was gonna peck me to death?" Brooke laughed. Lucas smiled smugly and Brooke continued. "Do you have names for them all?" she asked.

"Not really. She's Hopper, there's three that are the same brown, and then two others." Lucas said.

"Well that's not fair, you should give each of them a name if you name one." Brooke smiled, crouching down to look at the chickens as they pecked around her feet.

"Go ahead." Lucas said.

"Well, the three that are the same should be 'The Musketeers'." Brooke said.

"They're girls." Lucas commented with a small laugh.

"Then we'll call them the triplets." Brooke giggled, "And this one... her name is Sugar because she has all those white feathers on her neck and back. And that one, I think she should be called..." Brooke paused, watching the golden-breasted chicken strut towards her, "Your name is Goldie." She smiled.

"Sugar, Goldie, Triplets, and Hopper. I like it." Lucas laughed. Brooke smiled as she stood back up.

"This is fun. Do you like having animals?" she asked curiously.

"I do. I like what they give me even better, though. Fresh eggs is the breakfast of champions." Lucas said, reaching down and picking the bucket back up.

"You have goats too, right?" Brooke asked.

"Yes I do. And they have names so you don't have to worry." Lucas chuckled, walking out of the pen. Brooke followed him, glancing back at the chickens before walking along with him.

"What do you feed them?" She asked curiously.

"Each of them gets a cup of grain. I mix it with the minerals they should get... and occasionally give them raisins as a treat. Or apple skins, they like those too." Lucas said.

"I thought they ate hay or grass. Like cows and horses." Brooke said, following Lucas into the barn. She smiled at the familiar scent of horse. There was something so calming about it.

Lucas laughed, "They'll eat hay if they have to but mine are spoiled. If I have any leftover scraps from cooking I bring it out to them and it's gone within a minute or so. But they never eat grass. They'll eat the bark off my trees and all my rose bushes but they won't touch grass."

Brooke laughed and Lucas led her over to the goats in their pen. There were three of them, two laying down and one standing by the door. Lucas walked in, followed by Brooke, and he pet the white goat in front of him.

"Brooke, meet Lovey. Lovey, this is Brooke." Lucas smiled.

"She is so cute." Brooke squealed, reaching down to pet the goat. Immediately the black goat got up and ran towards Brooke. Brooke pet both of them and looked over to the black and white one laying in the corner. "Is that one sick?" she asked.

"No, that's Nipper. He's a grumpy little bastard so don't get too close." Lucas laughed. Brooke laughed loudly. "And this one is Nosey, she loves attention as you can see." He said. Brooke smiled at the black goat, petting her and giggling as she made small noises. "She loves you, that's for sure." Lucas chuckled, putting the chicken grain on a high shelf and taking down another bucket. He put three cups of the grain into the small trough on the wall while Brooke sat and pet Nosey and Lovey; completely enamoured by them.

They soon left Brooke to go eat, and even the grumpy goat got up and walked over to the trough. Lucas led Brooke back out, closing the waist-high door behind them. Brooke saw Daisy, standing with her head over her stall.

"Hello, big girl!" Brooke smiled, walking over and stroking Daisy's snout. Lucas smiled, giving Daisy a few firm pats on her neck. Brooke noticed a saddle hanging inside Daisy's stall. "Do you ever ride her?" Brooke asked.

"No, I don't. The saddle is my sister's, she used to ride our other horse. But Stella died a while back. Not to sad for me, more for my sister. I got Daisy a few years after. She's all mine." Lucas smiled.

Brooke stared at Daisy's tan fur, stroking it down to her nose. "Where did your sister go?" she asked curiously.

Lucas swallowed the lump in his throat. "New York. She wanted to go to a big city and she didn't have the same connection to the land here that I did." He said.

Brooke smiled warmly, "I love New York, it's so beautiful there. You should go visit her sometime." She said.

"Nah, I don't want to." Lucas said.

"Oh. Well has she come to see you?" Brooke asked, looking over. She could see that something in Lucas's eyes was different. He looked sad.

"I saw her on her wedding day, but not since." He said softly.

"Oh. That's sad." Brooke frowned, "You miss her?" she asked, but it came out more like a statement.

Lucas nodded somberly, "It's weird, you spend every day of your childhood with somebody and you get so sick of them... but when they finally leave, you realize how much you love them." He said.

"I know. When I was little, my mom stayed home with me. All the time. And then she started working again when I was eight, and she's never around anymore. Sometimes I wish she never came back." Brooke murmured. She then realized how spoiled and stupid she must sound, talking to someone who lost both of his parents. "I shouldn't say that." Brooke sighed.

"It's okay." Lucas said, taking a biscuit from his pocket, "Here, feed her this, you'll be her best friend." He smiled. Brooke smiled, her spirit lifted, and held out the treat to Daisy. She happily munched on it and returned back into her stall.

"How about we go inside? It's getting cold out." He said. Brooke nodded and walked out of the barn. Lucas watched her leave and his mind was filled with thoughts.

Why was he so angry at her mother? For whatever reason, he wanted to ring Victoria's neck and shake her senseless. Why would she ever leave Brooke?

Lucas walked after Brooke and once inside, Brooke settled down in a chair. Lucas put a kettle on to boil and joined her, sitting across from her.

"How old are you?" Brooke asked curiously.

"Thirty one." Lucas responded.

"Wow." Brooke said.

"Do I look older?" Lucas chuckled.

"No. I was just... you're like fifteen years older than me." Brooke said amusedly. Lucas nodded, and a sick feeling twisted at his stomach. _Fifteen years older_.

Lucas didn't know how to respond. He opened his mouth, and then closed it. He squinted at Brooke, which made her smile from ear to ear.

"How old is your sister?" Brooke asked.

"Same age, we're twins." Lucas said.

"That is _so_ cool! I always wanted a twin sister, or brother, or just another sibling in general." Brooke said.

"It is pretty cool." Lucas agreed with a smile. Brooke paused when she heard the whistling of the kettle. "I boiled some water, do you want a cup of tea?" he asked.

"Sure." Brooke smiled.

Lucas got up and walked into the kitchen, relieved that the water had boiled so quickly and saved him from the somewhat awkward situation. He couldn't help himself, really. Brooke was a gorgeous girl and he hadn't seen a woman that pretty in... well, in a long time. Lucas swallowed, pouring the water into two mugs and adding a bag of black tea to each.

Over the next few hours, Brooke and Lucas sat in the living room and just enjoyed each other's company. Brooke was enthralled in a book she found on Lucas's shelf, one about a farm and a happy little family.

Lucas read the newspaper and he didn't realize exactly how much time had passed until he had finished the paper and realized it was nearly pitch black outside. He looked up to see Brooke now reading the back of the book. He smiled and she looked up, feeling his eyes on her.

"This book is amazing." Brooke smiled. The story was about two people who had fallen in love, bought a rundown farm, fixed it into something beautiful, had two beautiful children, and lived happily ever after.

"I'm glad you like it." Lucas chuckled.

"Except I don't understand why they were so angry when the son wanted to leave. I mean it's his choice, they don't have a say." Brooke said, clearly very passionate about the book.

"Well, because they had worked so hard to build their home and their farm. They wanted him to keep it but he wanted to go to the big city." Lucas said.

Brooke raised her eyebrow, everything starting to fall into place, "This is about you, isn't it?" she asked.

Lucas smiled and nodded, "It's my book." He said.

"Is it about your life?" Brooke asked.

"It's how my life should have gone." Lucas said.

"Because your parents lived happily ever after in it?" Brooke asked carefully.

Lucas nodded.

"Why did you stay here? After they died? You had the chance to go with Peyton to New York." Brooke frowned, her forehead creased.

"Because this is my home. My parents worked their fingers to the bone building it and they would roll over in their graves if I ever left." Lucas said.

"I think they would be happy." Brooke said.

Lucas stayed quiet, only cocking an eyebrow as a questioning remark.

"Well... if this is really your life, your mom and dad wanted the best for you, they even said so in the story. And if you're not happy then that isn't the best option for you, right?" Brooke asked.

Lucas chuckled, "But I am happy, Brooke." He said.

"You don't seem very happy if I'm gonna be honest." Brooke said, standing up and putting the book back on the shelf she got it from. Lucas sighed, standing and taking his mug into the kitchen. Brooke followed him, "I'm not trying to be mean or anything but you seem really lonely and you deserve to be happy. You really do, you're an amazing person." Brooke said, rambling on.

Lucas put the mug in the sink and turned around, "You don't know me." He said softly.

"But I feel like I do, Lucas. You deserve to be happy and the boy in the book wasn't happy, really. Not until he and his dad talked it out. And I don't think you ever got the chance to, did you?" Brooke asked.

"It doesn't matter. He's gone now and I'm happy. I really am happy, right here, with you." Lucas said. Both he and Brooke stopped breathing, stopped moving, and stared at each other. "I didn't... I didn't mean it like that, I just-"

Brooke stood on her tiptoes and kissed Lucas, soft and gentle. Lucas closed his eyes, only opening them when she pulled away.

"It's okay. I'm happy when I'm with you, too." She said quietly. Lucas swallowed hard, his hands at his sides. He didn't know what to say.

Here he was, standing in front of the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, just been kissed by her, and even though he knew it was wrong because she was so young, his heart had stopped beating the second their lips touched. She reached up, stroking his jaw, and leaned against him.

He wrapped his arms around her, and they didn't say another word. Not until Brooke finally pulled away, "Put ice on your hand before you go to sleep." She reminded him, tucking her hair behind her ears, "I'll see you tomorrow." She gave a small smile before walking out of the house and walking across the road. Lucas watched through the window in his front door as she disappeared behind the red door.

He swallowed nervously as the realization dawned on him. He hardly knew her, she was too young, he could go to jail if anyone ever found out... but despite all of the things that complicated it, Lucas knew that he was in love with that girl behind the red door.

* * *

**A/N: The chapter is named after the song _Home by Daughter_. Seriously guys, check it out because it's awesome and is the soundtrack to this chapter. Especially the end.**

**Leave me some love.**


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